The reflection of solar wind electrons at the bow shock helps define the physical properties of the foreshock, the region where the interplanetary magnetic field directly connects to the bow shock. We report that the strahl, the field-aligned component of the electron solar wind distribution, appears to be nearly fully reflected at the bow shock and that the reflection occurs in the foot of the shock, implying that mirroring is not the primary cause of the electron reflection.

Observations during periods when the solar wind has a speed < 425 km s⁻¹ show that it is not uncommon to find no strahl present in the data. The research was done in response to observations and was performed through a detailed study of the electron velocity distribution functions. The conclusion arrived at is that the absence of the strahl appears to occur within individual flux tubes, which may indicate that the source lies in the solar corona where the strahl is formed.